THIRTEEN inmates at Half-Way-Tree Police lock-up, who are accused of assaulting three police officers and damaging fixtures inside their cell, were yesterday remanded when they appeared in the Kingston and St Andrew Parish Court.
They have been identified as Courtney Duhaney, Shamar Bennett, Christopher Robertson, Rohan Brown, Dwight Wright, Heldon Green, Shawn McLean, Allister Roberts, Anthony Hyatt, Stephen Burke, Shane Forbes, Damion Elliston and Clayton Williams.
All are facing charges of assault occasioning bodily harm and malicious destruction of property. The court heard that on the day in question the men became boisterous and started damaging the cell after police seized a number of cellphones.
It is alleged that the men damaged a grille, locks, a surveillance camera and a light bulb. It also alleged that the men attacked and assaulted three officers who were on guard at the lock-up. However, Attorney-Sasha-Gaye Shaw, who is representing one of the accused, denied the police’s account of the incident.
She told Parish Judge Judith Pusey that the men were voicing their discontent with the treatment that was being meted out at the lock-up when they were attacked by officers and beaten into silence.
The attorney said that she had seen the injuries that the men had received and that a number of them were taken to hospital, which resulted in them being absent from court when the matter was first listed.
Further to that, Shaw told Judge Pusey that it was after the men had reported the matter to the Independent Commission of Investigations that they were charged by police.
Judge Pusey then enquired about video footage and was told that the police had it in their possession. As a result, she instructed the prosecutor to find out what was captured on the footage and scheduled the matter for mention on August 23.